H.R. 5820: Mono Lake Kootzaduka’a Tribe Recognition Act

This bill, known as the Mono Lake Kootzaduka’a Tribe Recognition Act, aims to recognize the Mono Lake Kootzaduka’a Tribe at the federal level. Here’s a breakdown of the main components of the bill:

1. Federal Recognition

The bill extends federal recognition to the Mono Lake Kootzaduka’a Tribe. This means that the Tribe will be acknowledged by the federal government, allowing it to access certain rights and benefits that come with such recognition.

2. Definitions

The bill defines key terms, such as:

• Member: An individual who is enrolled in the Tribe according to its constitution.
• Secretary: Refers to the Secretary of the Interior.
• Tribe: Refers specifically to the Mono Lake Kootzaduka’a Tribe.

3. Applicability of Federal Laws

All federal laws that apply to Indian tribes and individuals will apply to the Mono Lake Kootzaduka’a Tribe and its members, unless stated otherwise in the Act. This includes laws established under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.

4. Federal Services and Benefits

The Tribe and its members will be eligible for all federal services and benefits available to recognized Indian tribes, irrespective of whether the Tribe has a formal reservation or where its members live. The service area for the Tribe will include the counties of Mono and Inyo in California.

5. Reaffirmation of Rights

The Act confirms that it does not diminish any rights or privileges that the Tribe or its members had prior to the bill’s enactment. It also allows the Tribe to assert any legal claims to rights or privileges that may have been denied in the past. In addition, the Tribe is entitled to hunting and fishing rights on federal lands within its ancestral lands, with federal agencies encouraged to cooperate with the Tribe in exercising these rights.

6. Membership Roll

The Tribe is required to submit a membership roll to the Secretary of the Interior within 18 months of the enactment of the Act. This roll will include the names of all individuals recognized as Tribe members, based on the Tribe's constitutional criteria for membership.

7. Trust Land

The Secretary of the Interior will identify federal land in Mono County that falls within the Tribe's ancestral homeland. This land will be designated for purposes such as tribal government administration, economic development, and housing. The Tribe can request that this land be placed into trust, which means it would be held for the Tribe by the federal government, thereby providing certain legal protections.

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